COLWYN Bay’s bouncebackability will be tested to the full this Saturday when they travel to take on Liverpool Competition ECB Premier League leaders Lytham.

Graeme Jones’ side’s recent fine run was jolted at the weekend when they lost by one wicket in a low-scoring league encounter with Highfield and were then beaten by mighty Bootle in the Knockout Trophy on Sunday.

So a good result is needed on Saturday to get the Bay’s title bid back on track, but it will be difficult against a Lytham outfit which won by seven wickets at Penrhyn Avenue earlier this season and boast arguably the division’s finest seam bowler in Marcus Sharp.

Colwyn almost turned a batting disaster into a winning score against Highfield, but the final outcome went against the home side.

Put in on their home track after skipper had Jones lost the toss, the Bay struggled to reach an inadequate 137 all out in 51.5 dour overs, only vice-captain Sion Morris (50) sparing the blushes.

Pro William Hantam contributed 17 on a day that belonged to Highfield’s heroes Hillroy Paulse, the South African paceman who once spent a season at Prestatyn, taking 4-22 off 14 overs, and Scott Pastie, 4-43 from 23 overs.

Left with such a meagre total to defend and feeling the absence of their Lancashire match-winner Gareth Cross on county duty, the Bay needed something special if they were to complete a double to go with their seven-wicket romp at Highfield in May.

Mike Gaskell (36) and Michael Farrell (32) laid the foundations for Highfield’s fragile response as their cautious last pair arrived out in the middle with nine runs required and all options still open.

They succeeded in staggering over the line at 138-9 to claim an avenging 20-6 points victory in the gathering gloom, Hantam picking up 4-66 of 19 overs and spin ace Paul Jenkins 4-40 off 15 overs, five of them maidens.

A disappointed Jones said: “It was certainly not the result we wanted or expected but with so few runs to work with, unfortunately we paid the price.”

A SPECTACULAR century from Gareth Cross still was not enough for Colwyn Bay to end their lack of success against bogey side Bootle in a tight League Cup quarter-final thriller at Rhos-on-Sea on Sunday.

Looking to end a sequence of failures dating back to 1996, the seasiders came close despite losing the toss and being invited to bat.

Cross blasted a towering 116 off 102 balls, including seven sixes and nine fours to lift the Bay to 225 off the last delivery of their 45 overs innings.Caerwyn Williams (52) got the Bay off to a solid start and at 140-2 the chances of a really big score looked promising only for a lack of acceleration and the loss of cheap wickets late on to reduce the target.

Andy Gill (4-25) and skipper Dave Snellgrove (4-35) did the damage before Snellgrove switched roles to top-score with 83 as he, Jack Boardman (42) and Craig Prince (39) steered Bootle to a familiar winning 227-3 in the 43rd over.